KHAN-LI. 


[FROM  THE  MURAL  PAINTING  IN  THE  GALLERY  OF  NATIONAL  HEROES  AT  YEZO.! 


THE 


LAST  AMERICAN 


A    FRAGMENT 

From  the  Journal  of 

KHAN-LI 

PRINCE  OF  D1MPH-YOO-CHUR  AND  ADMIRAL  IN  THE 
PERSIAN 


\    ^    Edited  by 

f^  n^'° 
J.    A.    MJTCHELL 

EIGHTH    EDITION. 


NEW  YORK 
FREDERICK  A.  STOKES   COMPANY 

MDCCCXCII 


PS 


COPYRIGHT,    1889,    BY 
FREDERICK   A.   STOKES  &   BROTHER 


gerticaticm. 


10 

THE    AMERICAN 

WHO     IS     MORE     THAN     SATISFIED     WITH 

HIMSELF 

AND 

HIS   COUNTRY 

THIS     VOLUME     IS     AFFECTIONATELY 

DEDICATED. 


A    FEW    WORDS 

DY 

HEDFUL, 

SURNAMED    "THE    AXIS    OF    WISDOM," 

Curator  of  the  Imperial  Museum  at  Shiraz.  Author  of 
"The  Celestial  Conquest  of  Kaly-phorn-ya"  and  of 
"  Northern  Mehrika  tinder  the  Hy-Bernyan  Rulers" 

THE  astounding  discoveries  of  Khan-li  of 
Dimph-yoo-chur  have  thrown  floods  of  light 
upon  the  domestic  life  of  the  Mehrikan  people. 
He  little  realized  when  he  landed  upon  that 
sleeping  continent  what  a  service  he  was  about 
to  render  history,  or  what  enthusiasm  his  dis 
coveries  would  arouse  among  Persian  archae 
ologists. 

Every  student  of  antiquity  is  familiar  with 
their  history. 


8  THE  LAST  AMERICAN. 

But  for  the  benefit  of  those  who  have  yet 
to  acquire  a  knowledge  of  this  extraordinary 
people,  I  advise,  first,  a  visit  to  the  Museum  at 
Teheran  in  order  to  excite  their  interest  in  the 
subject,  and  second,  the  reading  of  such  books 
as  Nofuhl's  "What  we  Found  in  the  West," 
and  Noz-yt-ahl's  "  History  of  the  Mehrikans." 
The  last-named  is  a  complete  and  reliable  his 
tory  of  these  people  from  the  birth  of  the  Re 
public  under  George-wash-yn-tun  to  the  year 
1990,  when  they  ceased  to  exist  as  a  nation.  I 
must  say,  however,  that  Noz-yt-ahl  leaves  the 
reader  much  confused  concerning  the  period 
between  the  massacre  of  the  Protestants  in 
1907,  and  the  overthrow  of  the  Murfey  dynasty 
in  1930. 

He  holds  the  opinion  with  many  other  his 
torians  that  the  Mehrikans  were  a  mongrel 
race,  with  little  or  no  patriotism,  and  were 
purely  imitative  ;  simply  an  enlarged  copy  of 
other  nationalities  extant  at  the  time.  He 
pronounces  them  a  shallow,  nervous,  extrava 
gant  people,  and  accords  them  but  few  redeem 
ing  virtues.  This,  of  course,  is  just ;  but 
nevertheless  they  will  always  be  an  interesting 
study  by  reason  of  their  rapid  growth,  their 
vast  numbers,  their  marvellous  mechanical  in 
genuity  and  their  sudden  and  almost  unac 
countable  disappearance. 


THE  LAST  AMERICA  A'.  9 

The  wealth,  luxury  and  gradual  decline  of 
the  native  population  ;  the  frightful  climatic 
changes  which  swept  the  country  like  a  mow 
er's  scythe  •  the  rapid  conversion  of  a  vast  con 
tinent,  alive  with  millions  of  pleasure-loving 
people,  into  a  silent  wilderness,  where  the  sun 
and  moon  look  down  in  turn  upon  hundreds 
of  weed-grown  cities, — all  this  is  told  by  Noz- 
yt-ahl  with  force  and  accuracy. 


1  Here's   Truth.     'Tis  a  bitter  Pill  but  good 
Physic." 


ABOARD   THE    ZLOTUHB 

IN    THE    YEAR 

2951- 

loth  May, 

There  is  land  ahead  ! 

Grip-til-lah  was  first  to  see  it,  and  when  he 
shouted  the  tidings  my  heart  beat  fast  with 
joy.  The  famished  crew  have  forgotten  their 
disconsolate  stomachs  and  are  dancing  about 
the  deck.  'Tis  not  I,  forsooth,  who  shall  re 
strain  them  !  A  month  of  emptiness  upon  a 
heavy  sea  is  preparation  for  any  folly.  Nofuhl 
alone  is  without  enthusiasm.  The  old  man's 
heart  seems  dead. 

We  can  see  the  land  plainly,  a  dim  strip 
along  the  western  horizon.  A  fair  wind  blows 
from  the  northeast,  but  we  get  on  with  cruel 


!4  THE   LAST  AMERICAN. 

hindrance  for  the  Zlotuhb  is  a  heavy  ship,  her 
bluff  bow  and  voluminous  bottom  ill  fitting 
her  for  speed. 

The  land,  as  we  near  it,  seems  covered  witb 
trees,  and  the  white  breakers  along  the  yellou 
beach  are  a  welcome  sight. 


nth  .If ay. 

Sighted  a  fine  harbor  this  afternoon,  and  are 
now  at  anchor  in  it. 

Grip-til-lah  thinks  we  have  reached  one  of 
the  western  islands  mentioned  by  Ben-a-Bout. 
Nofiihl,  however,  is  sure  we  are  further  North. 


\2tJt  May. 

What  a  change  has  come  over  Nofuhl  !  He 
is  the  youngest  man  aboard.  We  all  share  his 
delight,  as  our  discoveries  are  truly  marvellous. 
This  morning  while  I  was  yet  in  my  bunk  he 
ran  into  the  cabin  and,  forgetting  our  differ 
ence  in  rank,  seized  me  by  the  arm  and  tried 
to  drag  me  out.  His  excitement  so  had  the 
better  of  him  that  I  captured  little  meaning 


THE  LAST  AMERICAN.  15 

from  his  words.  Hastening  after  him,  how 
ever,  I  was  amazed  to  see  such  ancient  limbs 
transport  a  man  so  rapidly.  He  skipped  up 
the  narrow  stairs  like  a  heifer  and,  young 
though  I  am,  it  was  faster  than  I  could  fol 
low. 

But  what  a  sight  when  I  reached  the  deck  ! 
We  saw  nothing  of  it  yesterday,  for  the  dusk 
of  evening  was  already  closing  about  us  when 
we  anchored. 

Right  ahead,  in  the  middle  of  the  bay, 
towered  a  gigantic  statue,  many  times  higher 
than  the  masts  of  our  ship.  Beyond,  from  be 
hind  this  statue,  came  the  broad  river  upon 
whose  waters  we  were  floating,  its  surface  all 
a-glitter  with  the  rising  sun.  To  the  East, 
where  Nofuhl  was  pointing,  his  fingers  trem 
bling  with  excitement,  lay  the  ruins  of  an  end 
less  city.  It  stretched  far  away  into  the  land 
beyond,  further  even  than  our  eyes  could  see. 
And  in  the  smaller  river  on  the  right  stood 
two  colossal  structures,  rising  high  in  the  air, 
and  standing  like  twin  brothers,  as  if  to  guard 
the  deserted  streets  beneath.  Not  a  sound 
reached  us — not  a  floating  thing  disturbed  the 
surface  of  the  water.  Verily,  it  seemed  the 
sleep  of  Death. 

I  was  lost  in  wonder. 

As  we  looked  a  strange  bird,  like  a  heron, 


1 6  THE  LAST  AMERICAN. 

arose  with  a  hoarse  cry  from  the  foot  of  the 
great  image  and  flew  toward  the  city. 

"What  does  it  all  mean  ?"  I  cried.  "Where 
are  we  ?  " 

"  Where  indeed  !  "  said  Nofuhl.  "  If  I  knew 
but  that,  O  Prince,  I  could  tell  the  rest !  No 
traveller  has  mentioned  these  ruins.  Persian 
history  contains  no  record  of  such  a  people. 
Allah  has  decreed  that  we  discover  a  forgotten 
world." 


Within  an  hour  we  landed,  and  found  our 
selves  in  an  ancient  street,  the  pavements  cov 
ered  with  weeds,  grass  and  flowers,  all  crowd 
ing  together  in  wild  neglect.  Huge  trees  of 
great  antiquity  thrust  their  limbs  through 
windows  and  roofs  and  produced  a  mournful 
effect.  They  gave  a  welcome  shade,  however, 
as  we  find  the  heat  ashore  of  a  roasting  qual 
ity  most  hard  to  bear.  The  curious  buildings 
on  either  side  are  wonderfully  preserved,  even 
sheets  of  glass  still  standing  in  many  of  the 
iron  window-frames. 

We  wandered  along  through  the  thick  grass, 
Nofuhl  and  I,  much  excited  over  our  discover 
ies  and  delighted  with  the  strange  scene.  The 
sunshine  is  of  dazzling  brightness,  birds  are 
singing  everywhere,  and  the  ruins  are  gay  with 


THE  LAST  AMERICAN.  ij 

gorgeous  wild  flowers.  We  soon  found  our 
selves  in  what  was  once  a  public  square,  now 
for  the  most  part  a  shady  grove.* 


THE   CITY  OF   RUINS. 


As  we  sat  on  a  fallen  cornice  and  gazed  on 
the   loftv  buildings  about  us  I   asked   Nofuhl 


*  Afterward  ascertained  to  be  the  square  of  the  City 
Hall. 


I  8  THE  LAST  AMERICAN. 

if  he  was  still  in  ignorance  as  to  where  we 
were,  and  he  said  : 

"  As  yet  I  know  not.  The  architecture  is 
much  like  that  of  ancient  Europe,  but  it  tells 
us  nothing." 

Then  I  said  to  him  in  jest,  "  Let  this  teach 
us,  O  Nofuhl  !  the  folly  of  excessive  wisdom. 
Who  among  thy  pupils  of  the  Imperial  College 
at  Ispahan  would  believe  their  venerable  in 
structor  in  history  and  languages  could  visit 
the  largest  city  in  the  world  and  know  so  little 
about  it  !  " 

"  Thy  words  are  wise,  my  Prince,"  he  an 
swered  ;  "  few  babes  could  know  less." 

As  we  were  leaving  this  grove  my  eyes  fell 
upon  an  upturned  slab  that  seemed  to  have  a 
meaning.  It  was  lying  at  our  feet,  partly  hid 
den  by  the  tall  grass,  having  fallen  from  the 
columns  that  supported  it.  Upon  its  surface 
were  strange  characters  in  bold  relief,  as  sharp 
and  clear  as  when  chiselled  ten  centuries  ago. 
I  pointed  it  out  to  Nofuhl,  and  we  bent  over 
it  with  eager  eyes. 

It  was  this  : 

ASTOR   HOUSE 


THE   LAST  AMERICAN.  jg 

"  The  inscription  is  Old  English,"  he  said. 
"  '  House  '  signified  a  dwelling,  but  the  word 
'  Astor '  I  know  not.  It  was  probably  the  name 
of  a  deity,  and  here  was  his  temple." 

This  was  encouraging,  and  we  looked  about 
eagerly  for  other  signs. 


Our  steps  soon  brought  us  into  another 
street,  and  as  we  walked  I  expressed  my  sur 
prise  at  the  wonderful  preservation  of  the  stone 
work,  which  looked  as  though  cut  but  yester 
day. 

"  In  such  an  atmosphere  decay  is  slow,"  said 
Nofuhl.  "A  thousand  years  at  least  have  passed 
since  these  houses  were  occupied.  Take  yon 
der  oak,  for  instance  ;  the  tree  itself  has  been 
growing  for  at  least  a  hundred  years,  and  we 
know  from  the  fallen  mass  beneath  it  that  cen 
turies  had  gone  by  before  its  birth  was  pos 
sible." 

He  stopped  speaking,  his  eyes  fixed  upon  an 
inscription  over  a  doorway,  partly  hidden  by 
one  of  the  branches  of  the  oak. 

Turning  suddenly  upon  me  with  a  look  of 
triumph,  he  exclaimed  : 

"  It  is  ours  !  " 

"  What  is  ours  ?  "  I  asked. 


2Q  THE   LAST  AMERICAN. 

"The  knowledge  we  sought";  and  he  point 
ed  to  the  inscription, 


NEW   YORK   STOCK   EXC  .... 

He  was  tremulous  with  joy. 

"  Thou  hast  heard  of  Nhu  -  Yok,  O  my 
Prince  ?  " 

I  answered  that  I  had  read  of  it  at  school. 

"Thou  art  in  it  now!"  he  said.  "We  are 
standing  on  the  Western  Continent.  Little 
wonder  we  thought  our  voyage  long  !  " 

"And  what  was  Nhu-Yok  ? "  I  asked.  "I 
read  of  it  at  college,  but  remember  little.  Was 
it  not  the  capital  of  the  ancient  Mehrikans?" 

"Not  the  capital,"  he  answered,  "but  their 
largest  city.  Its  population  was  four  mill 
ions." 

"  Four  millions  !"  I  exclaimed.  "  Verily,  () 
Fountain  of  Wisdom,  that  is  many  for  one 
city  !  " 

"  Such  is  history,  my  Prince  !  Moreover,  as 
thou  knowest,  it  would  take  us  many  days  to 
walk  this  town." 

"  True,  it  is  endless." 

He  continued  thus  : 

"  Strange  that  a  single  word  can  tell  so 
much  !  Those  iron  structures,  the  huge  statue 


THE  LAST  AMERICAN.  21 

in  the  harbor,  the  temples  with  pointed  towers, 
all  are  as  writ  in  history." 

Whereupon  I  repeated  that  I  knew  little  of 
the  Mehrikans  save  what  I  had  learned  at  col 
lege,  a  perfunctory  and  fleeting  knowledge,  as 
they  were  a  people  who  interested  me  but  little. 

"  Let  us  seat  ourselves  in  the  shade,"  said 
Nofuhl,  "and  I  will  tell  thee  of  them." 

We  sat. 

"  For  eleven  centuries  the  cities  ot  this 
sleeping  hemisphere  have  decayed  in  solitude. 
Their  very  existence  has  been  forgotten.  The 
people  who  built  them  have  long  since  passed 
away,  and  their  civilization  is  but  a  shadowy 
tradition.  Historians  are  astounded  that  a 
nation  of  more  than  seventy  millions  should 
vanish  from  the  earth  like  a  mist,  and  leave  so 
little  behind.  But  to  those  familiar  with  their 
lives  and  character  surprise  is  impossible. 
There  was  nothing  to  leave.  The  Mehrikans 
possessed  neither  literature,  art,  or  music  of 
their  own.  Everything  was  borrowed.  The 
very  clothes  they  wore  were  copied  with  ludi 
crous  precision  from  the  models  of  other  na 
tions.  They  were  a  sharp,  restless,  quick 
witted,  greedy  race,  given  body  and  soul  to  the 
gathering  of  riches.  Their  chiefest  passion 
was  to  buy  and  sell.  Even  women,  both  of 
high  and  low  degree,  spent  much  of  their  time 


22 


THE  LAST  AMERICAN. 


IN   A   STREET   OF   THE   FORGOTTEN  CITY. 


at  bargains,  crowding  and  jostling  each  other 
in  vast  marts  of  trade,  for  their  attire  was  com 
plicated,  and  demanded  most  of  their  time." 

"  How  degrading  !  "  I  exclaimed. 

"So  it  must  have  been,"  said  Nofuhl  ;  "but 


THE   LAST  AMERICAN.  23 

they  were  not  without  virtues.  Their  domestic 
life  was  happy.  A  man  had  but  one  wife,  and 
treated  her  as  his  equal." 

"  That  is  curious  !  But  as  I  remember,  they 
were  a  people  of  elastic  honor." 

"  They  were  so  considered,"  said  Nofuhl ; 
''  their  commercial  honor  was  a  jest.  They 
were  sharper  than  the  Turks.  Prosperity  was 
their  god,  with  cunning  and  invention  for  his 
prophets.  Their  restless  activity  no  Persian 
can  comprehend.  This  vast  country  was  alive 
with  noisy  industries,  the  nervous  Mehrikans 
darting  with  inconceivable  rapidity  from  one 
city  to  another  by  a  system  of  locomotion  we 
can  only  guess  at.  There  existed  roads  with 
iron  rods  upon  them,  over  which  small  houses 
on  wheels  were  drawn  with  such  velocity  that 
a  long  day's  journey  was  accomplished  in  an 
hour.  Enormous  ships  without  sails,  driven  by 
a  mysterious  force,  bore  hundreds  of  people  at 
a  time  to  the  furthermost  points  of  the  earth." 

"And  are  these  things  lost?"  I  asked. 

"  We  know  many  of  the  forces,"  said  Nofuhl, 
"but  the  knowledge  of  applying  them  is  gone. 
The  very  elements  seem  to  have  been  their 
slaves.  Cities  were  illuminated  at  night  by 
artificial  moons,  whose  radiance  eclipsed  the 
moon  above.  Strange  devices  were  in  use  by 
which  they  conversed  together  when  separated 


24  THE   LASr  AMERICAN. 

by  a  journey  of  many  days.  Some  of  these  ap 
pliances  exist  to-day  in  Persian  museums.  The 
superstitions  of  our  ancestors  allowed  their 
secrets  to  be  lost  during  those  dark  centuries 
from  which  at  last  we  are  waking." 

At  this  point  we  heard  the  voice  of  Bhoz-ja- 
khaz  in  the  distance  ;  they  had  found  a  spring 
and  he  was  calling  to  us. 

Such  heat  we  had  never  felt,  and  it  grew 
hotter  each  hour.  Near  the  river  where  we  ate 
it  was  more  comfortable,  but  even  there  the 
perspiration  stood  upon  us  in  great  drops. 
Our  faces  shone  like  fishes,  It  was  our  wish 
to  explore  further,  but  the  streets  were  like 
ovens,  and  we  returned  to  the  Zlotuhb. 


As  I  sat  upon  the  deck  this  afternoon  record 
ing  the  events  of  the  morning  in  this  journal 
Bhoz-ja-khaz  and  Ad-el-pate  approached,  ask 
ing  permission  to  take  the  small  boat  and  visit 
the  great  statue.  Thereupon  Nofuhl  informed 
us  that  this  statue  in  ancient  times  held  aloft  a 
torch  illuminating  the  whole  harbor,  and  he 


THE   LAST  AMERICAN.  2$ 

requested  Ad-el-pate  to  try  and  discover  how 
the  light  was  accomplished. 

They  returned  toward  evening  with  this  in 
formation  :  that  the  statue  is  not  of  solid 
bronze,  but  hollow  ;  that  they  ascended  by 
means  of  an  iron  stairway  into  the  head  of  the 
image,  and  looked  down  upon  us  through  its 
eyes  ;  that  Ad-el-pate,  in  the  dark,  sat  to  rest 
himself  upon  a  nest  of  yellow  flies  with  black 
stripes  ;  that  these  flies  inserted  stings  into 
Ad-el-pate's  person,  causing  him  to  exclaim 
loudly  and  descend  the  stairs  with  unexpected 
agility  ;  that  Bhoz-ja-khaz  and  the  others 
pushed  on  through  the  upraised  arm,  and  stood 
at  last  upon  the  bronze  torch  itself  ;  that  the 
city  lay  beneath  them  like  a  map,  covering  the 
country  for  miles  away  on  both  sides  of  the 
river.  As  for  illuminating  the  harbor,  Bhoz-ja- 
khaz  says  Nofuhl  is  mistaken  ;  there  are  no 
vestiges  of  anything  that  could  give  a  light — 
no  vessel  for  oil  or  traces  of  fire. 

Nofuhl  says  Ja-khaz  is  an  idiot ;  that  he 
shall  go  himself. 


26  THE  LAST  AMERICAN. 


A  startling  discovery  this  morning. 

By  landing  higher  up  the  river  we  explored 
a  part  of  the  city  where  the  buildings  are  of  a 
different  character  from  those  we  sa\v  yester 
day.  Ndfuhl  considers  them  the  dwellings  of 
the  rich.  In  shape  they  are  like  bricks  set  on 
end,  all  very  similar,  uninteresting  and  monoto 
nous. 

We  noticed  one  where  the  doors  and  shut 
ters  were  still  in  place,  but  rotting  from  the 
fantastic  hinges  that  supported  them.  A  feu- 
hard  blows  brought  down  the  outer  doors  in  a 
dusty  heap,  and  as  we  stepped  upon  the  marble 
floor  within  our  eyes  met  an  unexpected  sight 
Furniture,  statues,  dingy  pictures  in  crumbling 
frames,  images  in  bronze  and  silver,  mirrors. 
curtains,  all  were  there,  but  in  every  condition 
of  decay.  We  knocked  open  the  iron  shutters 
and  let  the  light  into  rooms  sealed  up  for  cen 
turies.  In  the  first  one  lay  a  rug  from  Persia  ! 


THE  LAST  AMERICAN.  2/ 

Faded,  moth-eaten,  gone  in  places,  it  seemed 
to  ask  us  with  dying  eyes  to  be  taken  hence. 
My  heart  grew  soft  over  the  ancient  rug,  and 
I  caught  a  foolish  look  in  Lev-el-Hedyd's 
eye. 

As  we  climbed  the  mouldering  stair  to  the 
floor  above  I  expressed  surprise  that  cloth  and 
woodwork  should  hold  together  for  so  many 
centuries,  also  saying  : 

"  These  Mehrikans  were  not  so  unworthy  as 
we  think  them." 

"  That  may  be,"  said  Lev-el-Hedyd,  "  but  the 
Persian  rug  is  far  the  freshest  object  wre  have 
seen,  and  that  perchance  was  ancient  when 
they  bought  it." 

On  this  floor  we  entered  a  dim  chamber 
spacious  and  once  richly  furnished.  When 
Lev-el-Hedyd  pushed  open  the  shutters  and 
drew  aside  the  ragged  curtains  we  started  at 
the  sight  before  us.  Upon  a  wide  bed  in  the 
centre  of  the  room  lay  a  human  form,  the  long 
yellow  hair  still  clinging  to  the  head.  It  was 
more  a  mummy  than  a  skeleton.  Around, 
upon  the  bed,  lay  mouldering  fragments  of  the 
once  white  sheets  that  covered  it.  On  the  fin 
gers  of  the  left  hand  glistened  two  rings  which 
drew  our  attention.  One  held  a  diamond  of 
great  price,  the  other  was  composed  of  sap 
phires  and  diamonds  most  curiously  arranged. 


28  THE   LAST  AMERICAN. 

We  stood  a  moment  in  silence,  gazing  sadly 
upon  the  figure. 

"  Poor  woman,"  I  said,  "  left  thus  to  die 
alone." 

"It  is  more  probable,"  said  Nofuhl,  "she 
was  already  dead,  and  her  friends,  departing 
perhaps  in  haste,  were  unable  to  burn  the  body." 

"Did  they  burn  their  dead?"  I  asked.  "In 
my  history  'twas  writ  they  buried  them  in  the 
earth  like  potatoes,  and  left  them  to  rot." 

And  Nofuhl  answered  :  "  At  one  time  it  was 
so,  but  later  on,  as  they  became  more  civilized, 
the  custom  was  abandoned." 

"Is  it  possible,"  I  asked,  "that  this  woman 
has  been  lying  here  almost  a  thousand  years 
and  yet  so  well  preserved  ?  " 

"  I,  also,  am  surprised,"  said  Nofuhl.  "  I  can 
only  account  for  it  by  the  extreme  dryness  of 
the  air  in  absorbing  the  juices  of  the  body  and 
retarding  decay." 

Then  lifting  tenderly  in  his  hand  some  of 
the  yellow  hair,  he  said  : 

"  She  was  probably  very  young,  scarce  twen 
ty." 

"Were  their  women  fair?"   I  asked. 

"  They  were  beautiful,"  he  answered  ;  "  with 
graceful  forms  and  lovely  faces  ;  a  pleasure  to 
the  eye  ;  also  were  they  gay  and  sprightly 
with  much  animation." 


IN  THE  MOULDERING  CHAMBER. 


THE  LAST  AMERICAN.  31 

Thereupon  cried  Lev-el-Hedyd  : 

"  Here  are  the  first  words  thou  hast  uttered, 
O  Nofiihl,  that  cause  me  to  regret  the  extinc 
tion  of  this  people!  There  is  ever  a  place  in  my 
heart  for  a  blushing  maiden  !  " 

"  Then  let  thy  grief  be  of  short  life,"  re 
sponded  Nofiihl,  "  for  Mehrikan  damsels  were 
not  of  that  description.  Blushing  was  an  art 
they  practiced  little.  The  shyness  thou  so 
lovest  in  a  Persian  maiden  was  to  them  an  un 
known  thing.  Our  shrinking  daughters  bear  no 
resemblance  to  these  Western  products.  They 
strode  the  public  streets  with  roving  eyes  and 
unblushing  faces,  holding  free  converse  with 
men  as  with  women,  bold  of  speech  and  free 
of  manner,  going  and  coming  as  it  pleased 
them  best.  They  knew  much  of  the  world, 
managed  their  own  affairs,  and  devised  their 
own  marriages,  often  changing  their  minds 
and  marrying  another  than  the  betrothed." 

"  Bismillah  !  And  men  could  love  these 
things  ? "  exclaimed  Lev-el-Hedyd  with  much 
feeling. 

"  So  it  appears." 

''But  I  should  say  the  Mehrikan  bride  had 
much  the  freshness  of  a  dried  fig." 

"  So  she  had,"  said  Nofiihl,  "  but  those  who 
know  only  the  dried  fig  have  no  regret  for 
the  fresh  fruit.  But  the  fault  was  not  with 


32  THE  LAST  AMERICAN. 

the  maidens.  Brought  up  like  boys,  with  the 
same  studies  and  mental  development,  the 
womanly  part  of  their  nature  gradually  van 
ished  as  their  minds  expanded.  Vigor  of  in 
tellect  was  the  object  of  a  woman's  education." 

Then  Lev-el- Hedyd  exclaimed  with  great 
disgust  : 

"Praises  be  to  Allah  for  his  aid  in  extermi 
nating  such  a  people  !  "  and  he  walked  away 
from,  the  bed,  and  began  looking  about  the 
chamber.  In  a  moment  he  hastened  back  to  us, 
saying  : 

"  Here  are  more  jewels  !  also  money!  " 

Noffihl  eagerly  took  the  pieces. 

"Money!"  he  cried.  "Money  will  tell  us 
more  than  pages  of  history  !  " 

There  were  silver  coins  of  different  sizes  and 
two  small  pieces  of  copper.  Nofiihl  studied 
them  closely. 

"  The  latest  date  is   1937,"  he  said  ;  "  a  little 


THE    FACE    AND    BACK   OF   ONF,   OF    THE    SUVER   COINS. 


7777i   LAST  AMERICAN. 


33 


more  than  a  thousand  years  ago  ;  but  the  piece 
may  have  been  in  circulation  some  years  be 
fore  this  woman  died  ;  also  it  may  have  been 
coined  the  very  year  of  her  death.  It  bears 
the  head  of  Dennis,  the  last  of  the  Hy-Burnyan 
dictators.  The  race  is  supposed  to  have  be 
come  extinct  before  1990  of  their  era." 

I  then  said  : 

"Thou  hast  never  told  us,  O  Nofuhl  !  the 
cause  of  their  disappearance." 

"  There  were  many  causes,"  he  answered. 
"  The  Mehrikans  themselves  were  of  English 
origin,  but  people  from  all  parts  of  Europe 
came  here  in  vast  numbers.  Although  the 
original  comers  were  vigorous  and  hardy  the 
effect  of  climate  upon  succeeding  generations 
was  fatal.  They  became  flat-chested  and 
thin,  with  scanty  hair,  fragile  teeth,  and  weak 
digestions.  Nervous  diseases  unknown  to  us 
wrought  deadly  havoc.  Children  were  reared 
with  difficulty.  Between  1925  and  1940,  the  last 
census  of  which  any  record  remains,  the  popula 
tion  decreased  from  ninety  millions  to  less  than 
twelve  millions.  Climatic  changes,  the  like 
of  which  no  other  land  ever  experienced, 
began  at  that  period,  and  finished  in  less  than 
ten  years  a  work  made  easy  by  nervous  tem 
peraments  and  rapid  lives.  The  temperature 
would  skip  in  a  single  day  from  burning  heat 


34 


THE  LAST  AMERICAN. 


to  winter's  cold.  No  constitution  could  with 
stand  it,  and  this  vast  continent  became  once 
more  an  empty  wilderness." 

Much  more  of  the  same  nature  he  told  us, 
but  I  am  too  sleepy  to  write  longer.  We  ex 
plored  the  rest  of  the  mansion,  finding  many 
things  of  interest.  I  caused  several  objects  to 
be  carried  aboard  the  Zldtuhb* 


May. 

Hotter  than  yesterday. 

In  the  afternoon  we  were  rowed  up  the  river 
and  landed  for  a  short  walk.  It  is  unsafe  to 
brave  the  sun. 

The  more  I  learn  of  these  Mehrikans  the  less 
interesting  they  become.  Ndfiihl  is  of  much 
the  same  mind,  judging  from  our  conversation 
to-day,  as  we  walked  along  together. 

It  was  in  this  wise  : 

Khan-li. 
How  alike  the  houses  !     How  monotonous  ! 


*  These  objects  are  now  in  the  museum  of  the  Imperial 
College,  at  Teheran. 


THE   LAST  AMERICAN. 


35 


Nofuhl. 

So,  also,  were  the  occupants.  They  thought 
alike,  worked  alike,  ate,  dressed  and  conversed 
alike.  They  read  the  same  books  ;  they  fash 
ioned  their  garments  as  directed,  with  no  re 
gard  for  the  size  or  figure  of  the  individual, 
and  copied  to  a  stitch  the  fashions  of  Euro 
peans. 

Kkan-li. 

But  the  close-fitting  apparel  of  the  Euro 
pean  must  have  been  sadly  uncomfortable  in 
the  heat  of  a  Mehrikan  summer. 

Nofuhl. 

So  probably  it  was.  Stiff  boxes  of  varying 
patteins  adorned  the  heads  of  men.  Curious 
jackets  with  tight  sleeves  encased  the  body. 
The  feet  throbbed  and  burned  in  close-fitting 
casings  of  unyielding  leather  and  linen  made 
stiff  by  artificial  means  was  drawn  tightly  about 
the  neck. 

Khan-li. 
Allah  !     What  idiots  ! 

Nofuhl 

Even  so  are  they  considered. 


36  THE  LAST  AMERICAN. 

Khan-li. 

To  what  quality  of  their  minds  do  you  at 
tribute  such  love  of  needless  suffering  ? 

Nofilhl. 

It    was    their  desire    to    be    like  others.     A 
natural  feeling  in  a  vulgar  people. 


i5///  May. 

A  fair  wind  from  the  West  to-day.  We 
weighed  anchor  and  sailed  up  the  Eastern  side 
of  the  city.  I  did  this  as  Nofuhl  finds  the  up 
per  portion  of  the  town  much  richer  in  relics 
than  the  lower,  which  seems  to  have  been 
given  up  to  commercial  purposes.  We  sailed 
close  under  one  of  the  great  monuments  in  the 
river,  and  are  at  a  loss  to  divine  its  meaning. 
Many  iron  rods  still  dangle  from  the  tops  of 
each  of  the  structures.  As  they  are  in  a  line, 
one  with  the  other,  we  thought  at  first  they 
might  have  been  once  connected  and  served  as 
a  bridge,  but  we  soon  saw  they  were  too  far 
apart. 

Came  to  anchor  about  three  miles  from  the 
old  mooring.  Up  the  river  and  down,  North, 


THE  TWO   MONUMENTS   IN   THE  RIVER. 


THE  LAST  AMERICAN. 


39 


South,  East  and  West,  the  ruins  stretch  away 
indefinitely,  seemingly  without  end. 

Am  anxious  about  Lev-el-Hedyd.  He  went 
ashore  and  has  not  returned.  It  is  now  after 
midnight. 


i6///  May. 

Praise  Allah  !  my  dear  comrade  is  alive  ! 
This  morning  we  landed  early  and  began  our 
search  for  him.  As  we  passed  before  the  brick 
building  which  bears  the  inscription 

DELMONICO 

high  up  upon  its  front,  we  heard  his  voice  from 
within  in  answer  to  our  calls.  We  entered, 
and  after  climbing  the  ruined  stairway  found 
him  seated  upon  the  floor  above.  He  had  a 
swollen  leg  from  an  ugly  sprain,  and  various 
bruises  were  also  his.  While  the  others  were 
constructing  a  litter  on  which  to  bear  him  hence 
we  conversed  together.  The  walls  about  us 
bore  traces  of  having  once  enclosed  a  hall  of 
some  beauty.  In  idling  about  I  pulled  open 
the  decaying  door  of  an  old  closet  and  saw 
upon  the  rotting  shelves  many  pieces  of  glass 
and  earthenware  of  fine  workmanship.  Taking 


4O  THE  LAST  AMERICAN. 

one  in  my  hand,  a  small  wine-cup  of  glass,  I 
approached  my  comrade  calling  his  attention 
to  its  slender  stem  and  curious  form.  As  his 


eyes  fell  upon  it  they  opened  wide  in  amaze 
ment.  I  also  observed  a  trembling  of  his 
hand  as  he  reached  forth  to  touch  it.  He  then 
recounted  to  me  his  marvellous  adventure  of 
the  night  before,  but  saying  before  he  began  : 

"  Thou  knowest,  O  Prince,  I  am  no  believer 
in  visions,  and  I  should  never  tell  the  tale  but 
for  thy  discovery  of  this  cup.  I  drank  from 
such  an  one  last  night,  proffered  by  a  ghostly 
hand." 

I  would  have  smiled,  but  he  was  much  in 
earnest.  As  I  made  a  movement  to  sit  beside 
him,  he  said  : 

"  Taste  first,  O  my  master,  of  the  grapes 
hanging  from  yonder  wall." 

I  did  so,  and  to  my  great  surprise  found  them 


THE  LAST  AMERICAN.  ^i 

of  an  exquisite  flavor,  finer  even  than  the  cul 
tivated  fruit  of  Persia,  sweeter  and  more  del 
icate,  of  a  different  nature  from  the  wild  grapes 
we  have  been  eating.  My  astonishment  ap 
peared  to  delight  him,  and  he  said  with  a 
laugh  : 

"The  grapes  are  impossible,  but  they  exist  ; 
even  more  absurd  is  my  story  !  "  and  he  then 
narrated  his  adventure. 

It  was  this  : 

WHAT    LEV-EL-HEDYI)    SAW. 

Yesterday,  after  nightfall,  as  he  was  hasten 
ing  toward  the  Zldtuhb  he  fell  violently  upon 
some  blocks  of  stone,  wrenching  his  ankle  and 
much  bruising  himself.  Unable  to  walk  upon 
his  foot  he  limped  into  this  building  to  await 
our  coming  in  the  morning.  The  howling  of 
wolves  and  other  wild  beasts  as  they  prowled 
about  the  city  drove  him,  for  safety,  to  crawl 
up  the  ruins  of  the  stairway  to  the  floor  above. 
As  he  settled  himself  in  a  corner  of  this  hall 
his  nostrils  were  greeted  with  the  delicious 
odor  from  the  grapes  above  his  head.  He 
found  them  surprisingly  good,  and  ate  heartily. 
He  soon  after  fell  into  a  sleep  which  lasted 
some  hours,  for  when  he  awoke  the  moon  was 
higher  in  the  heavens,  the  voices  of  the  wolves 
were  hushed  and  the  city  was  silent. 


42  THE  LAST  AMERICAN. 

As  he  lay  in  a  revery,  much  absorbed  in  his 
own  thoughts,  he  gradually  became  aware  of 
mysterious  changes  taking  place,  as  if  by  stealth, 
about  him.  A  decorated  ceiling  appeared  to 
be  closing  over  the  hall.  Mirrors  and  tinted 
walls  slowly  crept  in  place  of  ivy  and  crum 
bling  bricks.  A  faint  glow  grew  stronger  and 
more  intense  until  it  filled  the  great  room  with 
a  dazzling  light. 

Then  came  softly  into  view  a  table  of  curi 
ous  form,  set  out  with  flowers  and  innumer 
able  dishes  of  glass  and  porcelain,  as  for  a 
feast. 

Standing  about  the  room  he  saw  solemn 
men  with  beardless  faces,  all  in  black  attire, 
whose  garments  bore  triangular  openings  upon 
the  chest  to  show  the  shirt  beneath.  These 
personages  he  soon  discovered  were  servants. 

As  he  gazed  in  bewilderment,  there  entered 
other  figures,  two  by  two,  who  took  their 
seats  about  the  table.  These  later  comers, 
sixty  or  more,  were  men  and  women  walk 
ing  arm  in  arm,  the  women  in  rich  attire 
of  unfamiliar  fashion  and  sparkling  with 
precious  stones.  The  men  were  clad  like  the 
servants. 

They  ate  and  drank  and  laughed,  and  form 
ed  a  brilliant  scene.  Lev-el-Hedyd  rose  to 
his  feet,  and  moved  by  a  curiosity  he  made 


THE  LAST  AMERICAN. 


43 


no  effort  to  resist, — for  he  is  a  reckless  fellow 
and  knows  no  fear — he  hobbled  but  into  the 
room. 

They  looked  upon  him  in  surprise,  and 
seemed  much  amused  at  his  presence  One  of 
the  guests,  a  tall  youth  with  yellow  mustaches, 
approached  him,  offering  a  delicate  crystal 
vessel  filled  with  a  sparkling  fluid. 

Lev-el-Hedyd  took  it. 

The  youth  raised  another  from  the  table, 
and  with  a  slight  gesture  as  if  in  salutation, 
he  said  in  words  which  my  comrade  under 
stood,  though  he  swears  it  was  a  language 
unknown  to  him, 

"  We  may  meet  again  the  fourth  of  next 
month." 

He  then  drank  the  wine,  and  so  did  Lev-el- 
Hedyd. 

Hereupon  the  others  smiled  as  if  at  their 
comrade's  wit,  all  save  the  women,  whose 
tender  faces  spoke  more  of  pity  than  of  mirth. 
The  wine  flew  to  his  brain  as  he  drank  it,  and 
things  about  him  seemed  to  reel  and  spin. 
Strains  of  fantastic  music  burst  upon  his  ears, 
then,  all  in  rhythm,  the  women  joined  their 
partners  and  whirled  about  him  with  a  light 
some  step.  And,  moving  with  it,  his  throb 
bing  brain  seemed  dancing  from  his  head. 
The  room  itself,  all  swaying  and  quivering 


44 


THE  LAST  AMERICAN. 


with  the  melody,  grew  dim  and  stole  from 
view.  The  music  softly  died  away. 

Again  was  silence,  the  moon  above  looking 
calmly  down  upon  the  ivied  walls. 

He  fell  like  a  drunken  man  upon  the  floor. 
and  did  not  wake  till  our  voices  called  him. 

Such  his  tale. 

He  has  a  clear  head  and  is  no  liar,  but  so 
many  grapes  upon  an  empty  stomach  with  the 
fever  from  his  swollen  limb  might  well  explain 
it. 


Bear's  meat  for  dinner. 

This  morning  toward  noon  Kuzundam,  the 
second  officer,  wandered  on  ahead  of  us,  and 
entered  a  large  building  in  pursuit  of  a  rabbit. 
He  was  about  descending  to  the  basement  be 
low,  when  he  saw,  close  before  him,  a  bear 
leisurely  mounting  the  marble  stairs.  Kuzun 
dam  is  no  coward,  but  he  turned  and  ran  as  he 
never  ran  before.  The  bear,  who  seemed  of  a 
sportive  nature,  also  ran,  and  in  close  pursuit  of 
our  friend.  Luckily  for  my  friend  we  happened 


THE  LAST  AMERICAN.  47 

to  be  near,  otherwise  instead  of  our  eating 
bear's  meat,  the  bear  might  have  lunched 
quietly  off  Kuzundam  in  the  shady  corridors 

Of  the  "FlFTHAVENUEHOTEL." 


17  th  May. 

To-day  a  scorching  heat  that  burns  the 
lungs.  We  started  in  the  morning  prepared  to 
spend  the  night  ashore,  and  explore  the  north 
ern  end  of  the  city.  It  was  a  pleasant  walk 
through  the  soft  grass  of  the  shady  streets,  but 
in  those  places  unsheltered  from  the  sun  we 
were  as  fish  upon  a  frying-pan.  Other  dwell 
ings  we  saw,  even  larger  and  more  imposing 
than  the  one  we  entered  yesterday.  We  were 
tempted  to  explore  them,  but  Lev-el-Hedyd 
wisely  dissuaded  us,  saying  the  day  was  wax 
ing  hotter  each  hour  and  it  could  be  done  on 
our  return. 

In  the  northern  part  of  the  town  are  many 
religious  temples,  with  their  tall  towers  like 
slender  pyramids,  tapering  to  a  point.  They 


48  THE  LAST  AMERICAN. 

are  curious  things,  and  surprisingly  well  pre 
served.  The  interiors  of  these  temples  are 
uninteresting.  Nofuhl  says  the  religious  rites 
of  the  Mehrikans  were  devoid  of  character. 
There  were  many  religious  beliefs,  all  compli 
cated  and  insignificant  variations  one  from 
another,  each  sect  having  its  own  temples 
and  refusing  to  believe  as  the  others.  This  is 
amusing  to  a  Persian,  but  mayhap  was  a  seri 
ous  matter  with  them.  One  day  in  each  week 
they  assembled,  the  priests  reading  long  moral 
lectures  written  by  themselves,  with  music  by 
hired  singers.  They  then  separated,  taking  no 
thought  of  temple  or  priest  for  another  seven 
days.  Nofuhl  says  they  were  not  a  religious 
people.  That  the  temples  were  filled  mostly 
with  women. 


In  the  afternoon  we  found  it  necessary  to 
traverse  a  vast  pleasure-ground,  now  a  wild 
forest,  but  with  traces  still  visible  of  broad 
promenades  and  winding  driveways.*  There 
remains  an  avenue  of  bronze  statues,  most 
of  them  yet  upright  and  in  good  condition, 
but  very  comic.  Lev-el-Hedyd  and  I  still  think 


*  Olbaldeh  thinks  this  must  be  the  Centralpahk  some 
times  alluded  to  in  Mehrikan  literature. 


IN    ONE    OF    THE    TEMPLES. 


THE  LAST  AMERICAN.  51 

them  caricatures,  but  Nofuhl  is  positive  they 
were  serious  efforts,  and  says  the  Mehrikans 
were  easily  pleased  in  matters  of  art. 

We  lost  our  way  in  this  park,  having  nothing 
to  guide  us  as  in  the  streets  of  the  city.  This 
was  most  happy,  as  otherwise  we  should  have 
missed  a  surprising  discovery. 

It  occurred  in  this  wise. 

Being  somewhat  overcome  by  the  heat  we 
halted  upon  a  little  hill  to  rest  ourselves. 
While  reclining  beneath  the  trees  I  noticed  un 
usual  carvings  upon  a  huge  block  against 
which  Lev-el-Hedyd  was  supporting  his  back. 
They  were  unlike  any  we  had  seen,  and  yet 
they  were  not  unfamiliar.  As  I  lay  there  gaz 
ing  idly  at  them  it  flashed  upon  me  they  were 
Egyptian.  We  at  once  fell  to  examining  the 
block,  and  found  to  our  amazement  an  obelisk 
of  Egyptian  granite,  covered  with  Egyptian 
hieroglyphics  of  an  antiquity  exceeding  by 
thousands  of  years  the  most  ancient  monu 
ments  of  the  country  ! 

Verily,  we  were  puzzled  ! 

"When  did  the  Egyptians  invade  Mehrika?" 
quoth  Bhoz-ja-khaz,  with  a  solemn  look,  as  if 
trying  to  recall  a  date. 

"No  Egyptian  ever  heard  of  Mehrika,"  said 
Nofuhl.  "This  obelisk  was  finished  twenty 
centuries  before  the  first  Mehrikan  was  weaned. 


52  THE  LAST  AMERICAN. 

In  all  probability  it  was  brought  here  as  a 
curiosity,  just  as  we  take  to  Persia  the  bronze 
head  of  George-wash-yn-tun." 

We  spent  much  time  over  the  monument, 
and  I  think  Nofuhl  was  disappointed  that  lie 
could  not  bring  it  away  with  him. 


Also  while  in  this  park  we  came  to  a  high 
tower,  standing  by  itself,  and  climbed  to  the 
top,  where  we  enjoyed  a  wide-spreading  view. 

The  extent  of  the  city  is  astounding. 

Miles  away  in  the  river  lay  the  Zlotuhb,  a 
white  speck  on  the  water.  All  about  us  in 
every  direction  as  far  as  sight  can  reach  were 
ruins,  and  ruins,  and  ruins.  Never  was  a  more 
melancholy  sight.  The  blue  sky,  the  bright 
sunshine,  the  sweet-scented  air  with  the  gay 
flowers  and  singing  birds  only  made  it  sadder 
They  seemed  a  mockery. 


THE  LAST  AMERICAN, 


53 


We  have  encamped  for  the  night,  and  I  can 
write  no  more.  Countless  flying  insects  gather 
about  us  with  a  hateful  buzz,  and  bite  us  be 
yond  endurance.  They  are  a  pest  thrice  ac 
cursed. 

I  tell  Nofuhl  his  fine  theory  concerning  the 
extinction  of  the  Yahnkis  is  a  good  tale  for 
those  who  have  never  been  here. 

No  man  without  a  leather  skin  could  survive 
a  second  night. 


May. 

Poor  Ja-khaz  is  worse  than  sick. 

He  had  an  encounter  last  night  with  a  strange 
animal,  and  his  defeat  was  ignoble.  The  ani 
mal,  a  pretty  thing,  much  like  a  kitten,  was 
hovering  near  when  Ja-khaz,  with  rare  courage 
and  agility,  threw  himself  upon  it. 

And  then  what  happened  none  of  us  can 
state  with  precision.  We  know  we  held  our 


54 


THE  LAST  AMERICAN. 


noses  and  fled.  And  Ja-khaz  !  No  words  can 
fit  him.  He  carries  with  him  an  odor  to  devas 
tate  a  province.  We  had  to  leave  him  ashore 
and  send  him  fresh  raiment. 

This  is,  verily,  a  land  of  surprises. 

Our  hands  and  faces  still  smart  from  the 
biting  insects,  and  the  perfume  of  the  odorous 
kitten  promises  to  be  ever  with  us. 


Nofuhl  is  happy.  We  have  discovered  hun 
dreds  of  metal  blocks,  the  poorest  of  which  he 
asserts  would  be  the  gem  of  a  museum.  They 
were  found  by  Fattan-lalz-eh  in  the  basement 
of  a  high  building,  all  laid  carefully  away 
upon  iron  shelves.  The  flood  of  light  they 
throw  upon  the  manners  and  customs  of  this 
ludicrous  people  renders  them  of  priceless 
value  to  historians. 

I  harbor  a  suspicion  that  it  causes  Nofuhl 
some  pleasure  to  sit  upon  the  cool  deck  of  the 
Zlotuhb  and  watch  Bhoz-ja-khaz  walking  to  and 
fro  upon  the  ruins  of  a  distant  wharf. 


THE  LAST  AMERICAN 


55 


igth  May. 

The  air  is  cooler.  Grip-til-lah  thinks  3 
storm  is  brewing. 

Even  Nofuhl  is  puzzled  over  the  wooden 
image  we  brought  aboard  yesterday.  It  is 
well  preserved,  with  the  barbaric  coloring  still 


THE    WOODEN   GOD. 


fresh  upon  it.    They  found  it  standing  upright 
in  a  little  shop. 

How  these  idols  were  worshipped,  and  why 
they  are  found  in  little  shops  and  never  in  the 


56  THE   LAST  AMERICAN. 

great  temples  is  a  mystery.  It  has  a  diadem 
of  feathers  on  the  head,  and  as  we  sat  smoking 
upon  the  deck  this  evening  I  remarked  to 
Nofuhl  that  it  might  be  the  portrait  of  some 
Mehrikan  noble.  Whereupon  he  said  they  had 
no  nobles. 

"  But  the  Mehrikans  of  gentle  blood,'1  I 
asked,  "  had  they  no  titles  ?  " 

"  Neither  titles  nor  gentle  blood,"  he  an 
swered.  "And  as  they  were  all  of  much  the 
same  origin,  and  came  to  this  country  simply 
to  thrive  more  fatly  than  at  home,  there  was 
nothing  except  difference  in  wealth  on  which 
to  establish  a  superior  order.  Being  deep  re 
specters  of  money  this  was  a  satisfying  dis 
tinction.  It  soon  resulted  that  those  families 
who  possessed  riches  for  a  generation  or  two 
became  the  substitute  for  an  aristocracy.  This 
upper  class  was  given  to  sports  and  pastimes, 
spending  their  wealth  freely,  being  prodigious 
ly  fond  of  display.  Their  intellectual  develop 
ment  was  feeble,  and  they  wielded  but  little 
influence  save  in  social  matters.  They  fol 
lowed  closely  the  fashions  of  foreign  aristoc 
racies.  Great  attentions  were  paid  to  wander 
ing  nobles  from  other  lands.  Even  distant 
relatives  of  titled  people  were  greeted  with  the 
warmest  enthusiasm. 


8,    > 


THE  LAST  AMERICAN. 


59 


2oth  May. 

An  icy  wind  from  the  Northeast  with  a  vio 
lent  rain.  Yesterday  we  gasped  with  the  hot 
air.  To-day  we  are  shivering  in  winter  cloth 
ing. 


2\st  May. 

The  same  as  yesterday.  Most  of  us  are  ill. 
My  teeth  chatter  and  my  body  is  both  hot  and 
cold.  A  storm  more  wicked  never  wailed 
about  a  ship.  Lev-el-Hedyd  calls  it  the  shriek 
ing  voices  of  the  seventy  millions  of  Mehrikans 
who  must  have  perished  in  similar  weather. 


i6//z  June. 

It  is  many  days  since  I  have  touched  this 
journal.  A  hateful  sickness  has  been  upon  me, 
destroying  all  energy  and  courage.  A  sort  of 
fever,  and  yet  my  limbs  were  cold.  I  could 
not  describe  it  if  I  would. 

Nofuhl  came  into  the  cabin  this  evening 
with  some  of  his  metal  plates  and  discoursed 


60  THE   LAST  AMERICAN. 

upon  them.  He  has  no  respect  for  the  intel 
lects  of  the  early  Mehrikans.  I  thought  for  a 
moment  I  had  caught  him  in  a  contradiction, 
but  he  was  right  as  usual.  It  was  thus  : 

Nofuhl. 

They  were  great  readers. 

Khan-It. 

You    have  told  us    they  had    no  literature. 
Were  they  great  readers  of  nothing  ? 


Verily,  thou  hast  said  it  !  Vast  sheets  of 
paper  were  published  daily  in  which  all  crimes 
were  recorded  in  detail.  The  more  revolting 
the  deed,  the  more  minute  the  description. 
Horrors  were  their  chief  delight.  Scandals 
were  drunk  in  with  thirstful  eyes.  These 
chronicles  of  crime  and  filth  were  issued  by 
hundreds  of  thousands.  There  was  hardly  a 
family  in  the  land  but  had  one. 

Khan-li. 
And  did  this  take  the  place  of  literature  ? 

Nofuhl 
Even  so. 


THE  LAST  AMERICAN.  6 1 

loth  June. 

Once  more  we  are  on  the  sea ;  two  days 
from  Nhu-Yok.  Our  decision  was  a  sudden 
one.  Nofuhl,  in  an  evil  moment,  found  among 
those  accursed  plates  a  map  of  the  country, 
and  thereupon  was  seized  with  an  unreasoning 
desire  to  visit  a  town  called  "  Washington."  I 
wavered  and  at  last  consented,  foolishly  I  be 
lieve,  for  the  crew  are  loud  for  Persia.  And 
this  town  is  inland  on  a  river.  He  says  it  was 
their  finest  city,  the  seat  of  Government,  the 
capital  of  the  country.  Grip-til-lah  swears  he 
can  find  it  if  the  map  is  truthful. 

Ja-khaz  still  eats  by  himself. 


2d  July. 

We  are  on  the  river  that  leads  to  "  Washing 
ton."  Grip-til-lah  says  we  shall  sight  it  to 
morrow.  The  river  is  a  dirty  color. 


tf  July. 

We  see  ahead  of  us  the  ruins  of  a  great 
dome,  also  a  very  high  shaft.  Probably  they 
belong  to  the  city  we  seek. 


62  THE   LAST  AMERICAN. 


4//fc  July. 

A  date  we  shall  not  forget ! 

Little  did  I  realize  this  morning  when  we 
left  the  Zlotuhb  in  such  hilarious  mood  what 
dire  events  awaited  us.  I  landed  about  noon, 
accompanied  by  Nofiihl,  Lev-el-Hedyd,  Bhoz- 
ja-khaz,  Ad-el-pate,  Kuzundam  the  first  mate, 
Tik'l-palyt  the  cook,  Fattan-laiz-eh,  and  two 
sailors.  Our  march  had  scarce  begun  when  a 
startling  discovery  caused  great  commotion  in 
our  minds.  We  had  halted  at  Nofuhl's  request, 
to  decipher  the  inscription  upon  a  stone,  when 
Lev-el-Hedyd,  who  had  started  on,  stopped 
short  with  a  sudden  exclamation.  We  hastened 
to  him,  and  there,  in  the  soft  earth,  was  the 
imprint  of  human  feet ! 

I  cannot  describe  our  surprise.  We  decided 
to  follow  the  footprints,  and  soon  found  they 
were  leading  us  toward  the  great  dome  more 
directly  than  we  could  have  gone  ourselves. 
Our  excitement  was  beyond  words.  Those  of 
us  who  had  weapons  carried  them  in  readiness. 
The  path  was  little  used,  but  clearly  marked. 


THE  LAST  AMERICAN. 


THROUGH    THE   STREETS  OF    "  WASHINGTON." 


It  wound  about  among  fallen  fragments  and 
crumbling  statues,  and  took  us  along  a  wide 
avenue  between  buildings  of  vast  size  and 
solidity,  far  superior  to  any  we  had  seen  in 
Nhu-Yok.  It  seemed  a  city  of  monuments. 

As  we  ascended  the  hill  to  the  great  temple 
and  saw  it  through  the  trees  rising  high  above 
us,  we  were  much  impressed  by  its  vast  size 
and  beauty.  Our  eyes  wandered  in  admiration 


64 


THE  LAST  AMERICAN 


over  the  massive  columns,  each  hewn  from  a 
single  block,  still  white  and  fresh  as  if  newly 
quarried.  The  path  took  us  under  one  of  the 
lower  arches  of  the  building,  and  we  emerged 
upon  the  other  side.  This  front  we  found  even 


THE    RUINS   OF   THE   GREAT   TEMPLE. 


more  beautiful  than  the  one  facing  the  city. 
At  the  centre  was  a  flight  of  steps  of  magnifi 
cent  proportions,  now  falling  asunder  and  over 
grown  in  many  places  with  grass  and  flowers. 
These  steps  we  ascended.  As  I  climbed  silent 
ly  up,  the  others  following,  I  saw  two  human 


THE  LAST  AMERICAN.  65 

feet,  the  soles  toward  us,  resting  upon  the 
balustrade  above.  With  a  gesture  I  directed 
Nofuhl's  attention  to  them,  and  the  old  man's 
eyes  twinkled  with  delight.  Was  it  a  Mehri- 
kan  ?  I  confess  to  a  lively  excitement  at  the 
prospect  of  meeting  one.  How  many  were 
they  ?  and  how  would  they  treat  us  ? 

Looking  down  upon  my  little  band  to  see 
that  all  were  there,  I  boldly  marched  up  the 
remaining  steps  and  stood  before  him. 

He  was  reclining  upon  a  curious  little  four- 
legged  seat,  with  his  feet  upon  the  balustrade, 
about  on  a  level  with  his  head.  Clad  in  skins 
and  rough  cloth  he  looked  much  like  a  hunter, 
and  he  gazed  quietly  upon  me,  as  though  a 
Persian  noble  were  a  daily  guest.  Such  a  re 
ception  was  not  gratifying,  especially  as  he 
remained  in  the  same  position,  not  even  with 
drawing  his  feet.  He  nodded  his  curious  head 
down  once  and  up  again,  deeming  it  apparently 
a  sufficient  salutation. 

The  maintenance  of  my  own  dignity  before 
my  followers  forbade  my  standing  thus  before 
a  seated  barbarian,  and  I  made  a  gesture  for 
him  to  rise.  This  he  answered  in  an  unseemly 
manner  by  ejecting  from  his  mouth  a  brownish 
fluid,  projecting  it  over  and  beyond  the  balus 
trade  in  front  of  him.  Then  looking  upon  me 
as  if  about  to  laugh,  and  yet  with  a  grave  face, 


66 


THE   LAST  AMERICAN. 


THE   FEET   UPON    THE    PORTICO. 


he  uttered   something  in   an    unmusical  voice 
which  I  failed  to  understand. 

Upon  this  Ndfiihl,  who  had  caught  the 
meaning  of  one  or  two  words,  stepped  hastily 
forward  and  addressed  him  in  his  own  lan 
guage.  But  the  barbarian  understood  with 


THE   LAST  AMERICAN.  fy 

difficulty  and  they  had  much  trouble  in  con 
versing,  chiefly  from  reason  of  Nofiihl's  pro 
nunciation.  He  afterward  told  me  that  this 
man's  language  differed  but  little  from  that  of 
the  Mehrikans,  as  they  wrote  it  eleven  centuries 
ago. 

WThen  he  finally  arose  in  talking  with  No- 
fuhl  I  could  better  observe  him.  He  was  tall 
and  bony,  with  an  awkward  neck,  and  ap 
peared  at  first  glance  to  be  a  man  of  forty 
years.  We  decided  later  he  was  under  thirty. 
His  yellow  skin  and  want  of  hair  made  him 
seem  much  older  than  he  was.  I  was  also  much 
puzzled  by  the  expression  of  his  face.  It  was 
one  of  deep  sadness,  yet  his  eyes  were  full  of 
mirth,  and  a  corner  of  his  mouth  was  ever 
drawing  up  as  if  in  mockery.  For  myself 
I  liked  not  his  manner.  He  appeared  little  im 
pressed  by  so  many  strangers,  and  bore  him 
self  as  though  it  were  of  small  importance 
whether  we  understood  him  or  not.  But  No- 
fuhl  since  informed  me  that  he  asked  a  multi 
tude  of  questions  concerning  us. 
What  Nofuhl  gathered  was  this  : 
This  Mehrikan  with  his  wife  and  one  old 
man  were  all  that  remained  of  his  race.  Thirty- 
one  had  died  this  summer.  In  ancient  times 
there  were  many  millions  of  his  country 
men.  They  were  the  greatest  nation  upon  the 


68  THE   LAST  AMERICAN. 

earth.  He  could  not  read.  He  had  two  names, 
one  was  "Jon,"  the  other  he  had  forgotten. 
They  lived  in  this  temple  because  it  was  cool. 
When  the  temple  was  built,  and  for  what  pur 
pose,  he  could  not  tell.  He  pointed  to  the 
West  and  said  the  country  in  that  direction 
was  covered  with  ruined  cities. 

When  Nofuhl  told  him  we  were  friends,  and 
presented  him  at  my  direction  with  a  hunting- 
knife  of  fine  workmanship,  he  pushed  out  his 
right  arm  toward  me  and  held  it  there.  For 
an  instant  Nofuhl  looked  at  the  arm  wonder- 
ingly,  as  did  we  all,  then  with  sudden  intelli 
gence  he  seized  the  outstretched  hand  in  his 
own,  and  moved  it  up  and  down.  This  was  in 
teresting,  for  Nofuhl  tells  me  it  was  a  form  of 
greeting  among  the  ancient  Mehrikans. 

While  al!  this  was  going  on  we  had  moved 
into  the  great  circular  hall  beneath  the  dome. 
This  hall  was  of  vast  proportions,  and  there 
were  still  traces  of  its  former  splendor.  Against 
the  walls  were  marble  statues  entwined  in  ivy, 
looking  down  upon  us  with  melancholy  eyes. 
Here  also  we  met  a  thin  old  man,  whose  hair 
less  head  and  beardless  face  almost  moved  us 
to  mirth. 

At  Nofuhl's  request  our  host  led  the  way 
into  some  of  the  smaller  rooms  to  show  us 
their  manner  of  living,  and  it  would  be  im- 


THE   LAST  AMERICAN.  -j\ 

possible  to  imagine  a  more  pathetic  mixture 
of  glory  and  decay,  of  wealth  and  poverty, 
of  civilization  and  barbarity.  Old  furniture, 
dishes  of  silver,  bronze  images,  even  paintings 
and  ornaments  of  great  value  were  scattered 
through  the  rooms,  side  by  side  with  the  most 
primitive  implements.  It  was  plain  the  ancient 
arts  were  long  since  forgotten. 

When  we  returned  to  the  circular  hall  our 
host  disappeared  for  a  few  moments  into  a 
room  which  he  had  not  shown  us.  He  came 
back  bringing  a  stone  vase  with  a  narrow  neck, 
and  was  followed  by  a  maiden  who  bore  drink- 
ing-cups  of  copper  and  tin.  These  she  depos 
ited  upon  a  fallen  fragment  of  the  dome  which 
served  as  a  table. 

This  girl  was  interesting.  A  dainty  head, 
delicate  features,  yellow  hair,  blue  eyes  and  a 
gentle  sadness  of  mien  that  touched  my  heart. 
Had  she  been  ugly  what  a  different  ending  to 
this  day  ! 

We  all  saluted  her,  and  the  Mehrikan  spoke 
a  few  words  which  we  interpreted  as  a  presen 
tation.  He  filled  the  cups  from  the  stone  vase, 
and  then  saying  something  which  Noffihl 
failed  to  catch,  he  held  his  cup  before  his  face 
with  a  peculiar  movement  and  put  it  to  his 
lips.  As  he  did  this  Lev-el-Hedyd  clutched 
my  arm  and  exclaimed  : 


72  THE  LAST  AMERICAN. 

"  The  very  gesture  of  the  ghost !  " 
And  then  as  if  to  himself,  "And  this  is  July 
fourth." 

But  he  drank,  as  did  we  all,  for  our  thirst 
was  great  and  the  odor  of  the  golden  liquid 
was  most  alluring.  It  tasted  hotter  than  the 
fires  of  Jelbuz.  It  was  also  of  great  potency 


THE   GIRL. 


and  gave  a  fine  exhilaration  to  the  senses.    We 
became  happier  at  once. 

And  here  it  was  that  Ja-khaz  did  a  fatal 
thing.  Being  near  the  maid  and  much  affected 
by  her  beauty,  he  addressed  her  as  Hur-al 
nissa*  which,  of  course,  she  understood  not. 
This  were  well  had  he  gone  no  further,  but  he 


'"  The  most  angelic  of  women. 


THE   LAST  AMERICAN. 


73 


next  put  his  arm  about  her  waist  with  intent 
to  kiss  her.  Much  terrified,  she  tried  to  free 
herself.  But  Ja-khaz,  holding  her  fair  chin 
with  his  other  hand,  had  brought  his  lips  al 
most  to  hers  when  the  old  man  raised  his 
heavy  staff  and  brought  it  down  upon  our 
comrade's  head  with  cruel  swiftness.  This 
falling  stick  upon  a  solid  skull  resounded 
about  the  dome  and  echoed  through  the  empty 
corridors. 

Bhoz-ja-khaz  blinked  and  staggered  back. 

Then,  with  fury  in  his  face,  he  sprang  sav 
agely  toward  the  aged  man. 

But  here  the  younger  Mehrikan  interfered. 
Rapidly  approaching  them  and  shutting  tight 
his  bony  hand,  he  shot  it  from  him  with  start 
ling  velocity,  so  directing  that  it  came  in  con 
tact  with  the  face  of  Ja-khaz  who,  to  our  amaze 
ment,  sat  roughly  upon  the  marble  pavement, 
the  blood  streaming  from  his  nostrils.  He  was 
a  pitiful  sight. 

Unaccustomed  to  such  warfare  we  were  seri 
ously  alarmed,  and  thought  him  killed  perhaps. 
Ad-el-pate,  a  mighty  wrestler,  and  of  powerful 
build,  rushed  furiously  upon  the  Mehrikan  for 
whom  I  trembled.  But  his  arm  again  went  out 
before  him,  and  Ad-el-pate  likewise  sat.  A 
mournful  spectacle,  and  every  Persian  felt  his 
heart  beat  fast  within  him. 


74 


THE  LAST  AMERICAN, 


By  this  time  Ja-khaz  was  on  his  feet  again, 
purple  with  rage.  With  uplifted  scimitar  he 
sprang  toward  our  host.  The  old  man  step 
ped  between.  Ja-khaz,  with  wanton  cruelty, 
brought  his  steel  upon  the  ancient  head,  and 
stretched  him  upon  the  floor.  For  an  instant 
the  younger  one  stood  horror-stricken,  then 
snatching  from  the  floor  the  patriarch's  staff— 
a  heavy  stick  with  an  iron  end — he  jumped 
forward,  and,  quicker  than  words  can  tell  it, 
dealt  a  frightful  blow  upon  the  head  of  Ja-khaz 
which  sent  him  headlong  to  the  ground  with  a 
broken  skull. 

All  this  had  happened  in  a  moment,  and  wild 
confusion  followed.  My  followers  drew  their 
arms  and  rushed  upon  the  Mehrikan.  The 
girl  ran  forward  either  from  terror  or  to  shield 
her  spouse,  I  know  not  which,  when  a  flying 
arrow  from  a  sailor's  cross-bow  pierced  her  to 
the  heart. 

This  gave  the  Mehrikan  the  energy  of  twenty 
men. 

He  knocked  brave  Kuzundam  senseless  with 
a  blow  that  would  have  killed  an  ox.  Such 
fury  I  had  not  conceived.  He  brought  his 
flying  staff  like  a  thunderbolt  from  Heaven 
upon  the  Persian  skulls,  yet  always  edging 
toward  the  door  to  prevent  his  enemies  sur 
rounding  him.  Four  of  our  number,  in  as 


THE  LAST  AMERICAN. 


75 


THE   SLAUGHTER   OF   THE   PERSIANS. 

many  minutes,  joined  Ja-khaz  upon  the  floor. 
Kuzundam,  Ad-el-pate,  Fattan-laiz-eh,  and 
Ha-tak,  a  sailor,  lay  stretched  upon  the  pave 
ment,  all  dead  or  grievously  wounded. 

So  suddenly  had  this  taken  place,  that  I 
hardly  realized  what  had  happened.  T  rushed 
forward  to  stay  the  combat,  but  he  mistook  the 
purpose,  struck  my  scimitar  with  a  force  that 
sent  it  flying  through  the  air,  and  had  raised 
his  staff  to  deal  a  second  for  myself,  when  brave 


76  THE   LAST  AM  ERIC  AX. 

Lev-el-Hedyd  stepped  in  to  save  me,  and 
thrust  quickly  at  him.  But  alas  !  the  Mehrikan 
warded  off  his  stroke  with  one  yet  quicker,  and 
brought  his  stick  so  swiftly  against  my  com 
rade's  head  that  it  laid  him  with  the  others. 

When  Lev-el-Hedyd  fell  I  saw  the  Mehrikan 
had  many  wounds,  for  my  comrades  had  made 
a  savage  onslaught.  He  tottered  as  he  moved 
back  into  the  doorway,  where  he  leaned  against 
the  wall  for  an  instant,  his  eyes  meeting  ours 
with  a  look  of  defiance  and  contempt  that  I 
would  willingly  forget.  Then  the  staff  dropped 
from  his  hand  ;  he  staggered  out  to  the  great 
portico,  and  fell  his  length  upon  the  pavement. 
Nofuhl  hastened  to  him,  but  he  was  dead. 


As  he  fell  a  wonderful  thing  took  place — an 
impossible  thing,  as  I  look  back  upon  it,  but 
both  Nofuhl  and  I  saw  it  distinctly. 

In  front  of  the  great  steps  and  facing  this 
doorway  is  a  large  sitting  image  of  George- 
wash-yn-tun.  As  the  Mehrikan  staggered  out 
upon  the  porch,  his  hands  outstretched  before 
him  and  with  Death  at  his  heart,  this  statue 
slowly  bowed  its  head  as  if  in  recognition  of  a 
gallant  fight. 

Perhaps  it  was  the  sorrowful  acceptance  of 
a  bitter  ending. 


THE    LAST   OF   THE    MEHRIKANS 


78  THE  LAST  AMERICAN. 

•jth  July. 

Again  upon  the  sea. 

This  time  for  Persia,  bearing  our  wounded 
and  the  ashes  of  the  dead  ;  those  of  the  natives 
are  reposing  beneath  the  Great  Temple. 

The  skull  of  the  last  Mehrikan  I  shall  pre 
sent  to  the  museum  at  Teheran. 


DATE  DUE 


GAYLORD 


A     000  686  080     3 


